kb1992

+1

OnePass FFP really SUCKS!

I agree with you that anything from it that gets blended with MP becomes a dilution.

1Ks have virtually NOTHING to gain from this merger, but EVERYTHING to lose.

Where we gonna go?? Delta?? That is even worse!

Okay, I may start to like AA's 8 SWUs if AA can fly to Asia more.

pigx5

Recently, I had chance to do a MR with a UA 1K and a CO Platinum.
When we came back to US, 3 of us were VDB and we flew UA back to US.
The CO platinum and I finally understand why CO elites love CO and UA 1Ks love UA.

CO does treat their customers very well in economy class.
Therefore, they appreciate CO as a customer.
There is no way to upgrade the international flights for free unless they were Op-up.
Some of them are willing to pay for the miles and copay to upgrade.
So many elites are satisfied with the service in economy class.
They don't know the worse business class still better than best economy class.

My travel companion, the CO platinum, was able to be sponsored by the other 1K. Then, he found out as a UA 1k, we have chance to sit in the
business by using SWUs.

They simply don't understand why people want to fly AA/UA because they can't see the world in business class.

After the upgrade, the CO platinum can understand why 1Ks love UA so much. It's a different world, a better world.

sbm12

True, though in the end the total amount paid is the M fare which, for platinum elites, is sufficient to book into F if the inventory is there. In other words, it is still a F fare based on how CO upgrades elites.

Yup, and at the end of the second transaction the customer will have paid for an F fare.

How so? Certainly in the second case you cite above they are doing precisely that.

There is no "list" until you are at the gate. You like to remind everyone of that all the time so I'm surprised that you got it wrong here. It is worth noting that every time the system offers someone a buy-up it first scans all the passengers and inventory on the flight and processes any pending/eligible upgrades first. So if I'm on an M fare and haven't been upgraded yet because ZE wasn't there when I booked initially and you're on a U fare that means when you go to check in, before it offers you the fare difference from U to M to get that ZE upgrade it will actually find me on the list and give it to me. If there are two seats and I'm the only M/B then you'd get the offer and quote the price. Outside the OLCI window you could jump me by staling that ZE inventory (or just getting lucky) but that is much different than the situation most folks seem to be commenting about in terms of during the OLCI process.

Phudnik

How? Please be specific, based on your own experience and not five-year old posts on FT.

I am mid-tier on both and have found that OnePass does some things better than Mileage Plus.

(1) I usually fly on refundable fares. Often, though not always, I am upgraded at the time of booking on CO. On UA, I'm behind 1Ks on discount fares and am almost never upgraded. (I am 0 for everything that isn't a CR7 since UDU started.) I do have the solace of E+ on UA, but then I can get an exit row at booking on CO.

(2) CO allows mixed-class reward bookings, including partners. So if there is no F availability one way on a reward booking, you can save a few miles.

(3) CO doesn't block partner availability.

(4) CO offers 150% EQM for all partner flights in C. (This is why I've credited partner flights to CO this year, and will end up as a Plat. I wasn't going to come anywhere near 1K.)

If I were 1K, or had channa's upgrade percentage, I'd be pretty negative about CO, too. There are advantages to both programs, and I hope they will be retained.

channa

There may not have been upgrade space for the M-Up at time of purchase. CO is allowing them to buy the M-Up and confirm the Up at checkin.


CO is building the airport upgrade list as people check in. Presuming you're not the first to checkin without an upgrade, there is a list already going. You can OLCI and get on the airport upgrade, so you can jump on the list as early as 24 hours out (earlier if you have an incoming connection).


Right, so it's hocking off the upgrades to the persons who are willing to buy up first. And only if there are not enough takers will they start processing upgrades at the gate or just around departure time.

I think that's the problem most of us are talking about.

Phudnik

I'm not sure I understand why this is a problem, assuming the system works the way it is supposed to. As a Gold, I would trump you (a Plat) in the upgrade hierarchy if I am on a B fare and you are on a Q or W. So how is this any different?

Is the objection that the buy ups offer people the chance to change their position on the upgrade list? Is this any different from using miles to upgrade (which, as I understand it, puts the mileage upgrader ahead of UDUs?

Renard

I don't buy any of that either

Pay IFE is a drag.

This about sums it up. I wish they had left it all alone.

They better not as availability at the 'saver' level on their metal is scarce to say the least.

channa

It's really because they're eroding their cornerstone "free, unlimited upgrades" benefit, and utilizing a technicality to do so.

It's also not clear what the long-term impact to this policy will be. From a consumer perspective, the customer is being taunted with an upgrade for a fee at checkin, essentially reminded that he's not upgraded, and asking for money for something that used to be free. If they now don't get it at the gate, they're likely to believe it's because they were sold to others.

danville 1K

I think UA must have learned something from CO. Don't the 77Q's with 3-3-3 seating in economy have pay for view for the premium channels?

channa

Yes, but at least the basic stuff is free on those, no? CO even charges you to use the DTV set, even if you just use it to watch the stored content -- the same types of movies and TV that used to be free.

danville 1K

I've never had the pleasure of riding on one of the reconfigured birds, so I really can't comment on exactly what's available or the cost.

channa

And even if you did, I have a feeling you wouldn't be in the back anyway.

danville 1K

Not if I could avoid it I came close to flying the new bird on two occasions.

First time was when they subbed a 77Q for the SFO-ORD 747. UDU didn't clear and had exit row seat in the back. Took a $400 VDB instead.

Second was an LHR-SFO booking on a 77Q that cleared into NC upon booking. Ended up changing the booking to FRA-SFO on an earlier date. According to UAL Cargo the 77Q got changed out for a 777, so I still would have missed it.

At this rate you'll probably beat me to it.

kb1992

UA allows one-way reward booking (and soon on Oct 29 will allow partners) so you can do mixed bookings.

Let me be more specific why OnePass SUCKS

--No SWU until this year (only 4 this year, but MP gives you more)

--No CR1

--Poor treatment to top elites in irregular situations

--High cost in int'l upgrades

--No E+ (huge elite benefits to UA elites)

--No int'l F cabin that UA elites could upgrade to

--Often CO Plats sit in Y because CO sells F upgrades to anyone who may pay as little as $59

--CO is very stingy in its own metal rewards especially BF. The name NonePass....

This is a long list.

People should wake up.

UA 1Ks will lose big time in this merger when CO takes over.

pigx5

I agree with you.